Replacing my Dad's old Snap-on Wrench

  Back in the 1980s and 1990s my late father used to buy Snap-on Tools for his appliance repair business. However when my older brother took over my father's business, his van got broken into and all of the Snap-on Tools that my father gave him were stolen. Or were they? To tell you the truth, not all were stolen. You see there were a handful of tools that my father never gave to my brother for some reason. Somehow my father held on to them. I don't know how or why these never went to my brother. When my father got terminally ill, I decided to go into the garage and organize all of his tools into the tool chest. I knew he had some Snap-on stuff left and he never liked me to touch them since they were expensive. So I searched every tool box until I found all of the Snap-on tools that didn't go to my brother.
  These tools were nothing special, 4 wrenches, 2 ratcheting box wrenches, 4 screwdrivers, 3 chisels and some various Blue-Point tools. 2 of the wrenches I inherited was a 1/4-15/16" open end wrench and a 7/8-15/16" open end wrench. Both came from the six piece open end wrench set. The other 4 wrenches were stolen. So the one day I was looking at the VO810 1/4-15/16" wrench and noticed that the handle had a bend in the middle. So since I work at a Ford Dealership, I could get the VO810 warrantied for a new one. The Snap-on dealer comes every Friday. So I took it on the truck and asked him if this wrench looked bent. He looked at it and said it's bent. He asked me if I wanted a new one. I said yes. He asked me how it got bent, and I said tightening the bolt on the fence. Actually I think it got bent since my dad used it repairing something.
  So I waited 2 weeks for my new VO810B to come in and it is made better than my dad's old one. This wrench is thicker and heavier than the one made in the 80s. You can read the sizes on it better since they are not on the ends of the wrench anymore. The sizes are now on the handle. You could hardly make out what the sizes were on the old one. It also has a wider handle and there is a date code stamp on the handle. Somehow the one from 1982 lacked a date code for some reason.
  So in all due respect, I think my father is looking down from heaven, smiling at me for getting one of his Snap-on tools warrantied. He would love to see the new and improved version of his wrench. Even though I am not a mechanic I still like to go on the Snap-on truck since my I once went on one with my father when he had to get his magnetic hex shank replaced. I go on there to make my father proud.

An Ultimate List of My Greatest Thrift Store Finds

  I frequently shop at thrift stores. Every time I step inside one, it's a whole new adventure. Over the many trips I have made to thrift stores, I have bought some interesting items. I never compiled a list of what were the ultimate finds but, I will try to recall all of my so called greatest finds. This list will mostly consist of various articles of clothing, a ton of hats, Toys, CD's and some oddball items. This list won't be in any particular order of when I found them. I don't remember what I paid for some of the items so I will try to remember what I had paid for them. So hold on to your butts, you are going to be amazed at my ultimate finds.

1. Vietnam War Era, US Army AG-274 Quarpel Raincoat. 
2. Vietnam War Era US Army Gabardine Overcoat.
3. Snap-On Tools RA Winter Jacket
4. Snap-On Tools Hoodie
5. Snap-On Tools Full Foam Hat from the 1980s
6. Snap-On Tools Mesh hat from the 1980s
7. Snap-On Tools Camouflage hat where the pattern consists of all tools.
8. UPS Brown Uniform Mesh Hat
9. UPS Brown  Uniform non-mesh hat 
10. FreshDirect Delivery Driver Uniform tri-season jacket.
11. Texaco Havoline down puffy vest from the 80s
12. Texaco Spring Jacket
13. A Hat autographed by Ed Kinney and the late Bruce Sarver
14. A Tide Racing hat just like the one Travis Kvapil wore
15. Forrest Gump Score Soundtrack by Alan Silvestri
16. The Punisher Score by Carlo Siliotto 
17. B-Day 2 disc deluxe edition
18. Ridge Racer for PS1
19. Hanna Soundtrack
20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Cargill hat
21. Jet Moto 2 for PS1
22. A sealed CD copy of Adam Lambert's debut album For Your Entertainment
23. An official Make America Great Again hat
24. Matco Tools Racing hat
25. Crisco Racing hat from the 1980s
26. A vintage US Mail uniform hat
27. 2009 New York Yankees World Series 59Fifty
28. OneMain Financial Racing hat
29. Con-Way Central Express (CCX) Mesh hat
30. Dunbar Armored Uniform Mesh hat
31. International Trucks Eagle hat
32. Wegman's Mesh uniform hat
33. Nine Inch Nails The Slip CD
34. Nine Inch Nails Year Zero Remixed CD
35. Nine Inch Nails Lights In The Sky Tour hat
36. Castrol Edge hat
37. White Castrol GTX Hat like the one John Force used to wear
38. Scranton Wilkes-Barre Red Barons snapback hat autographed by the mascot The Grump
39. Hummer hat
40. Mr. Peanut Baseball hat
41. Budweiser Football jersey
42. Mazda Polo shirt
43. Call 811 hat
44. Vintage Hot Wheels Stutz Blackhawk blackwall
45. Coach Bylsma Bobblehead
46. Hyundai coffee mug
47. Yuengling Pint Glass
48. 2 Cutty Sark scotch tumblers
49. A Realtor lapel pin
50. Vintage Michelin down winter jacket
51. A stress reliever shaped like a London Taxi
52. A Wells Fargo Stress Reliever shaped like a Stagecoach
53. A Car Fox stuffed animal
54. A Mattress Man stuffed animal
55. Serta Counting Sheep Plush #1
56. Serta Counting Sheep Plush #5
57. Serta Counting Sheep Plush #60
58. Texaco 1919 GMC Tanker chrome edition bank
59. Humble Oil 1925 Kenworth Tanker bank. (This bank started my truck bank collection)
60. A Saturn of Wyoming Valley Coffee Mug

My retirement from thrift store shopping

  Well today it finally happened. I finally found the jacket that I have been looking to find in a thrift store for years now. What special kind of jacket is this you ask? The answer is the elusive Snap-On Tools jacket. I see tons of people wearing these jackets where I live. They are kind of like a Carhartt jacket in a way. They are super cool and, you usually have to buy thousands of dollars worth of Snap-on Tools to get this jacket.
  So today I happened to stop by the Salvation Army to look around for anything of interest. I looked at the hat selection which was super barren today. The hat selection is kind of crappy nowadays. I then detoured over to the toy section that happened to have 2 huge bags of toy cars. I looked over the bags of toy cars to see if there was anything in there that was worth buying. Sadly there wasn't any car that I needed out of those 2 bags. Some old lady in a wheelchair asked me to get her down a K'nex Faris Wheel that was on a top shelf. I said I would get if down for her and I did.

A jacket similar to the one I bought

  After I helped the old woman I decided I would look at the jackets just for the heck of it and it paid off. As I sifted through all of the jackets, I spotted a grey jacket with an American flag patch on the left sleeve, I thought to myself that this has to be a Snap-on Tools jacket. I picked up the jacket off the rack and saw that it said Snap-on on it. I froze up upon seeing a Snap-on Tools jacket. I saw the price which was $14.99 green tag. Pink tags were on sale today.
  I didn't want to take any chances on passing up this jacket since I always wanted one. My dad used to buy Snap-on Tools when he had his business, he never got a jacket though. I looked at the size tag of the jacket and it was a Large. Great, it's just my size. Just to be sure, I went to the fitting room and tried it on. The jacket fit like a glove. Great my wish came true. So I decided against buying those 2 bags full of toy cars for the Snap-on jacket. It never occurred to me to look at the price of the 2 bags of cars.
  When I arrived home from the Salvation Army, I told my mom of my final purchase and she didn't believe me since she knows that I will be there next week. As of this jacket find I can finally retire from shopping at thrift stores for the time being. I found the jacket that I've always wanted today. It was a dream come true. In the past I have found several different Snap-on Tools items at thrift stores, a red hoodie with the Snap-on S logo on it and a Snap-on camouflage hat with a tool camouflage pattern on it.
  So as of today I am official retiring from shopping at thrift stores. It's been an exciting run. I've had the wonderful opportunity to buy a plethora of good stuff. From an antique Tonka Jeep to obscure NASCAR hat's, to lots of wonderful CD's. and even a NIN Hat, and even some truck banks. Now it's time to say goodbye to the Salvation Army for the time being. It was a fun run.
  Will this be the last thrift store purchase in my lifetime? Probably not. I'm retiring from buying jackets. It won't stop me from buying CDs though. That's another post.

Snap-On SGDMRC44B Soft Grip Ratcheting Screwdriver Review.

  I wanted to make a YouTube video reviewing this screwdriver but I no longer have a tripod for my digital camera. The tripod broke when I tried putting a full size Panasonic Omnimovie VHS Camcorder onto the tripod and it couldn't support the massive weight of the behemoth camcorder from 1988. You'll have to excuse me for that apology. I haven't made a new YouTube video in years. I need to get back into the reviewing various toys and other stuff that I own.
 I had acquired the Snap-On SGDMRC44B Soft Grip Ratcheting Screwdriver from my father around 2016. When my father still had his appliance repair business, he would buy Snap-On Tools. Now lets get this straight here, Snap-On Tools aren't really marketed at the appliance repairman demographic, they are more or less in the professional automobile mechanic demographic. So my dad had bought this ratcheting screwdriver from Snap-On, when he did I have no idea. 

SGDMRC44B The best damn screwdriver there is

  Let's review the screwdriver now. The Snap-On SGDMRC44B Soft Grip Ratcheting Screwdriver has got to be the best screwdriver I ever owned and used. It's very convenient and easy design to use. The Black and red soft grip handle contains a thumb dial where you can turn it to three positions, right side to turn to the right, left side to unscrew or loosen. The middle position locks the ratcheting mechanism. This thumb dial makes it easier to switch fastening positions by just flicking your thumb left or right. It can be used both left handed or right handed.  In order to use the Ratcheting mechanism of the screwdriver you need to turn the handle back and forth very gently so it drives the screws in or out very easily. This ratcheting mechanism saves your hand from getting sore from driving screws. It's very ergonomic and has a comfortable feel in your hand.  I've used this screwdriver extensively to hang up MOC Hot Wheels cars on my wall in my attic. I can drive screws into the paneling without any problem. This ratcheting mechanism can act like a manual drill so to speak.
  I've used this screwdriver to disassemble a fan. however due to the fan being metal and the magnetic hex shank this can be a tricky issue with the screwdriver. The magnetic hex shank can sometimes stick to the area you are trying to reach the screw at.
  Now here's the best kept secret about this screwdriver, you can use any magnetic bit for it. You don't need to use the Snap-On bits in it. Although the screwdriver does come with a #2 Phillips bit and a flat tip bit. While we are on the subject of bits, the handle of the screwdriver can hold up to 10 different bits. There is a little red cap on the end of the handle that comes off to store the bits inside of the handle.  
  Now the Magnetic hex shank can also magnetize screws as well in order to hold them into place. This makes it convenient in case the screw falls out or slips out, you can easily pick some screws that are magnetic back up. Not all screws will get magnetized by the hex shank. Not all screws are made out of a magnetic metal. So don't get angry if it won't hold the screw in place just because some screws aren't magnetic. Overall it holds the screws in just fine.
  The Magnetic Hex Shank will fit any magnetic screwdriver bit from any brand. There are some screwdriver bits that won't fit this hex shank such as a #4 Phillips bit which is the largest Phillips Screwdriver type that there is. Snap-On does make other Hex Bit Shanks for this screwdriver such as a 9" one and a 3-1/4" inch one as well. They even make a Speeder for this screwdriver. All of these shanks are sold separately.
  The price of this screwdriver is $77.95 which may seem a little hefty for a screwdriver. Don't let the price scare you away, it's really worth the money. If you buy it online from Snap-On you get free shipping on all orders under $500.
 https://store.snapon.com/Complete-Screwdrivers-Ratcheting-Soft-Grip-Standard-Red-Screwdriver-P643055.aspx
  Now for a $77.95 screwdriver this is the best screwdriver there is on the market. It's manufactured here in the USA which is very uncommon for tools to be made domestically nowadays. Snap-On manufacturers a majority of their tools here in the United States. As Snap-On once said as their slogan There Is A Difference. That slogan is the truth. There are two types of tools out there, OK made tools and then there's quality made tools. Snap-On is quality. You're paying the price for unmatched quality and an unbeatable lifetime warranty.
  Overall I give this ratcheting screwdriver an overall 10/10 stars. I will never go back to my old screwdriver again.

Raiders of The Lost Garage Episode 1

  I'll be periodically blogging about my cleaning up and organizing all of my Father's tools in the garage. My mom doesn't approve of me going through the garage and pillaging it. I'm just trying to consolodate all of the tools my father used to hoard.
   Many years ago when my Father had his appliance repair business he used to buy Snap-On Tools. Now you probably know that Snap-On Tools are not cheap at all. They are a quality made tool that is backed by a lifetime guarantee. However long story short when my older brother acquired the my father's business after my dad had his heart attack, my brother's work truck was broken into and the thieves stole 95% of the Snap-On tools that my dad had bought in the 80s. Snap-On doesn't replace stolen tools if you don't know so if someone steals yours you're shit out of luck there.

   My dad had a handfull of Snap-On Tools left over that somehow never went to my brother when he took over the business and now I ended up with them. It's still an ongoing process sorting out the many tool boxes in the garage to organize into the tool chest. I thought I had accumulated all what was left of them. So I thought. Today as I was consolidating some tool boxes I looked on the one shelf and I spotted what looked like a hole punch tool. I picked it up and upon closer inspection of it I noticed it said Blue-Point Kenosha Wisconson Made in USA on it. If you don't know already, Blue-Point is a brand of tool made by Snap-On that also has their lifetime warranty. I had no idea what this tool exactly was until I went on the computer and typed in the model number: CF-71 upon my search results came up that they are a Spark Plug Gapping Plier tool. now Snap-On no longer makes this type of tool and in case you are wondering what happens to your lifetime warranty, Snap-On will give you a modern equivalent no questions asked.